The Masked Privateer
by Heaven's Wordsmith
Summary: Emilee Jordan is about face Kane, but with nerves and jitters about the battle, will she be able to end the war or will it end her?
1. Part 1

Heavy clouds of turquoise and sickly green swirled above the foreboding skyways of Valencia. Everything was always so forlorn with the occasional sounds of canon-fire and the constant, deep groanings rumbling from the beastly Machine that sat in the very heart of Valencia. The low moanings of the machine could be heard everywhere, even in the depths of the soul. That may have been what caused Emilee to hand over the navigation wheel of the Golden Siren to Ratbeard and head down into the captain's quarters, where it was absolutely silent.

The young pirate captain closed the door behind her with a click of the knob and stood in the center of the room. She took deep, steady breaths, trying to calm herself as the weight of what they were about to do was laid upon her shoulders with every passing second. _We've come so far,_ she thought. _And it's all led up to this. Will we finally see Kane? Will we finally end all this needless violence? Will the war finally be won or will Kane prove to be more than we can handle?_

Emilee's stomach twisted in anxious knots. She stepped forward toward her bed and sat down, armor bending at her will. _We'll be arriving at the Machine soon enough. As soon as we do, the battle will begin._ She glanced over at the side table next to her bed. A broken mirror sat atop it, glass split and shattered. She picked it up by its wooden handle and held it low so the glass wouldn't fall out, but so that she could still get a good look at her masked face. Her green eyes beheld her weary soul.

She lifted her other hand and pulled the pink and gold hood of her mask down and off completely. Then she slid the white cloth of the mouth piece below her mouth and nose, giving her a full view of her battle scarred face.

Her face was covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises that were all hidden under her mask and hood. Her lip had been split open, chin bruised purple, cheek scrapped raw, and the bridge of her nose scarred. The evidence of her hundreds of battles had torn up her face. Emilee frowned and her gaze traveled to her white hair, falling as far as her plated chest. She gasped at its length. _How long has it been since I last cut it?_ She wondered. _How long have I been hiding under this mask?_

Raising a hand to feel her flat tangled hair, her throat tightened up and eyes moistened. _How long has it been since I first fought back against those tyrants and set my life against the Armada? How long has it been since I made myself their eternal enemy?_ She gave herself one last look, her tired face growing wearier by the second, and set the mirror back down on the table and held her face in her shaking hands.

"Captain, we've arrived!" El Toro burst through the door, bumbling excitedly. She jolted up in surprise. The bull champion's smile fell as he saw her face. "C-captain?"

"Sh!" She hissed and quickly wrapped her face back inside the mask. She scowled. "Don't tell anyone what you just saw. Act like you didn't see anything at all."

"But, Captain," he objected, lines of concern creasing across his forehead. "You don't look so good. Maybe we should stop at a life fountain."

"No," she shook her head. "We don't have time. Potions will do for now. Kane's mask is within my grasp, I'm not turning back now. I'll be with you all soon."

"Yes, Captain." He obeyed reluctantly, leaving her to her silent space. She took a deep, shaky breath, attempting to steady herself. _It's now or never._

* * *

 ** _A/N: Written for yourrdazzle on Deviantart. Emilee Jordan belongs to yourrdazzle._**


	2. Part 2

Emilee's muscles shrieked in agony as she forced her sword into the machine with the weight of her entire body, jamming the system. Gears groaned and gnashed against the metal slowly being brought to a forceful stop. She sunk to her knees in exhaustion as cogwheels and turning mechanisms all around the complex slowed to a resolute halt.

"Core mechanism... Compromised... Cannot..." The speaker crooned from overhead, meeting its end. With a final crank of its wheels, silence fell like mist upon the pirate and her crew. Like knives of ice piercing through her skin, she was brought back to the first two battles. She hadn't had time to think or process since they entered the machine, Kane's glorious prize, and now that everything was still, all she could see was Gazpaccio's horrified face as he was shot and killed by own creation. Toy Maker G was gone forever. And if Emilee couldn't bring Kane down, she would lose everyone else with him.

"We did it! We saved the Spiral!" El Toro cheered, standing with his crew mates behind his captain. Emilee staggered to her feet, pushing down on her sword for support. With sweaty hands, she yanked her weapon from the inanimate machine, broken and disabled.

"You think you've won?" Kane spoke up with thundering malice. The cowardly commander kept to one side of the platform atop a flight of stairs. Emilee turned to face him, sword drawn. "This is only a delay- I can rebuild my machine, that's a trivial matter. But first I must become perfect in El Dorado. Come try to stop me, Pirate! Come to your doom!" The Supreme Commander escaped down the stairs, hurriedly. Echoing through the hollow chambers, the metal steps rattled with his descent.

Her crew, loyal as ever, awaited her orders when the pirate captain faced them, shoulders sinking. Looking into their tired eyes, their fates were laid upon her, a heavy burden. Remembering Gazpaccio, she wondered if she would have to stand by and watch those who had become her friends and her family be slain right before her eyes as she stood by helplessly.

But what caused her to hesitate in a moment of frozen weakness was not the thought of dying alongside her comrades, but of Valencia's destruction and what would be done to the Spiral if they didn't fight Kane; either they would die or the Spiral would. And could they really face such a super power? Could they really win? Even after all the battles they fought, how could she still not know?

As Emilee surveyed her crew, she took note of those among her companions who were injured. The Marchioness was relying upon Egg Shen with an injured leg, leaning against him while the Goose Master met his captain with a delirious gaze. Emmet held an eye as it bled, and his breathing came in quick, shallow breaths. Old Scratch appeared to be missing a few bones as well as the wand he used to perform hoodoo.

Meanwhile, Bonnie Anne and Catbeard had only a few cuts and bruises, and Ratbeard and El Toro appeared untouched. _They can't fight Kane if they're too injured, they'll be easy targets,_ it occurred to her. She gripped her sword tightly, grief and fear coming in short pangs within her chest. _But will the strong still fight beside me even if they have to face imminent death?_

Taking a deep breath, she set aside her fear and offered up a brave front. "We've come a long way and you've all fought so valiantly through every battle and altercation that has come our way," she finally spoke, raising up her voice. "We're about to face our greatest enemy and the greatest threat the Spiral has ever faced. We are going to save the Spiral and restore Valencia to its former glory, but I only want the fittest among you to join me. I don't want to lose anyone like we lost Gazpaccio. It's too great of a risk."

"Very wise, Captain," Egg Shen agreed. "I cannot face Kane with the state I'm in, it would be an embarrassment to stand before our enemy like this."

"Can you take the injured back to the ship with you?" She asked.

"Yes, Captain," Egg Shen nodded.

"Which of you will be able to fight beside me?" She looked over them again.

"I will, Captain," Bonnie stepped up.

"Ratbeard and I will," El Toro added.

"I'm ready to fight," Catbeard said.

"Let's go, then." Emilee raised her sword. "Onwards to battle!"


	3. Part 3

"We've played a long chess game, you and I, and you've done far better than expected." Kane blustered as Emilee and her crew met him on the chessboard battle field. Kane stood on the opposite end with his elites at his side in a chess-like array. "How about one final match? To be sporting, I'll only use half my pieces- is that not generous?"

"Deacon? Rooke?" El Toro floundered. "But how?"

"They're only machines. It was expensive to replace the children you destroyed, but I managed." Kane explained simply. "Bishop, of course, you already know. Allow me to introduce Queen, greatest of my creations." He waved his gloved hand before a stuffy clockwork clothed in a thick, layered dress of gold and black.

"You flatter me, darling." It cooed in a feminine tone.

"Not at all," Kane said. "Kill them, my children. Kill them all." Thrusting forward quickly, Kane charged Emilee. His power and grace surprised her, but she was able to raise her sword and block his attack. She was forced to cower beneath him as his might overpowered her own.

In an attempt to regain her stance, she pushed his sword aside swiftly and lunged forward, stabbing at him. She missed, however, as he anticipated her move and evaded her blow. He jumped, spinning in air, and landed powerfully with his sword against her shield.

Emilee used all her strength to keep him up, feeling the extent of his power once more. _I have to keep fighting,_ she told herself in exhaustion. _I have to keep fighting._ Thinking fast, she reached down, grabbed a potion from her belt, and in a single gulp, consumed it. She skirted forward and pushed him back. Kane leaped back gracefully against her shove.

To her surprise, he didn't use the opportunity to attack, but waved his sword and disappeared in a flash of light. _Where did he go?_ She turned to see him reappear beside her. Stunned, she allowed Kane to swipe his sword before her face. He ripped through the seams of her mask, barely missing her skin, and it fell from her mouth, revealing her scarred face.

Kane stood back and erupted with teasing laughter, hollow and mechanical. She grabbed the ripped fabric and tore the rest of it off. Staring down at it, she grabbed the hood and pulled it down, hair falling from it free. _It's time I ended this,_ she thought angrily. _I will not be bested, and I will not be made a fool._ She glanced up, surveying the area around her. Her companions were sprawled around the room, some still battling while others rested beside their fallen opponents, winded. But they saw her face with expressions of great astonishment.

Kane took advantage of her idleness and sprung into the air in a similar assault as before and swinging his blade in her direction. Emilee lunged out of the way and dodged. In a flash, she came back and swiped her sword, tearing a hole into his fancy overcoat. His odd, metal body was exposed through the hole she carved, leaving his cogs and wires out in the open. He glanced down at what she had done and in an act of frustration, he pulled out a pistol and fired it at her, spark hitting her leg.

Emilee grimaced and stepped back as he steered his sword under her feet, trying to off-balance her. She leaped, turning and twisting her body, and slammed down on top of him with her sword protruding into his mask, slicing through his "face." It dug down deep into his bearings, and she felt it tighten in her hands, complicating and stopping up his systems. She jumped down, watching him twitch and malfunction with distorted groans and pops. The Supreme Commander fell backwards, body moving uncontrollably, and finally whirring and buzzing to an electronic stop. Kane had finally met his end.

Emilee stepped forward, climbing onto his body. She reached down, ripped the sword out, and in a final show of dominance over her fallen enemy, she held the sword at Kane's face then pryed the damaged mask off. She picked it up and held it high. "Today the Spiral has won!" She cheered and stepped back down onto the chessboard. She winced, feeling the sting of her injured leg.

Bonnie Anne, Ratbeard, Catbeard, and El Toro gathered around her, rejoicing even in their own injuries.

"Finally, the Spiral is safe from that tyrant!" Bonnie smiled brightly.

"Kane finally met his match!" El Toro said.

"It's check mate fer ye, ye rusted tin can," Ratbeard spat. Emilee chuckled.

"It's finally the end," She muttered, tiredly. Her ears perked up.

"Daughter hear us!" Called a voice in the distance, catching the pirate and her crew's attention. It came from one of the crystals on the sides of the battle ground. It glowed pink and revealed the silhouettes of two ghostly pirates- her parents. She ignored the painful sting of her leg as she darted the crystal, falling to her knees.

"Hear us!" Called the second voice within the crystal. It was manly unlike the wispy first. Emilee could feel her eyes sting, filling with tears.

"El Dorado- let it go, my child!" The first voice- her mother- warned. "Gold is nothing. The Spiral is everything. You have saved it."

"Mom, Dad," she gasped with a tight throat. It was all she could do to hold back the tears.

"We are so proud of you. Now we shall know peace." Her father promised. Then, as quickly as they had come, they were gone and the crystal returned to the way it was.

Emilee painfully swallowed the sobs rising up in the back of her throat. She staggered to her feet, moaning at the ache in her wounded leg. She turned to face her crew, looking on with compassion. "They've gone on to a better place," Toro consoled. "But you'll never be alone, Captain. You'll always have a family."

"Arr, it's true." Ratbeard added. "Cap'n, ye're the best."

"Captain, are you alright?" Bonnie frowned. "Ye don't look well, and yer leg is bleeding."

"I-" Emilee stammered. The pain in her leg was growing in intensity, and she felt her head lighten. She stumbled back, Bonnie Anne hurrying to steady her. Emilee held onto her foxy companion as the others circled around, helping her up.

"We should get back to the ship," Catbeard suggested. "We need to find a life fountain quick, before she loses too much blood."

"No worries, Captain," El Toro assured her. "We'll have you fixed in no time." Emilee smiled to herself as her crew helped her to the staircase. _We can finally go home, now. As a family._


End file.
